M A G A Z I N E
At the welding station
To enable Pirtek Limerick’s diversification into flexible metallic hoses, Michael Fogarty has created a bespoke TIG welding station to allow more precise welding of ferrules to the hoses. The contraption looks something like a steampunk belt drive turntable in a minimalist DJ booth. With Michael at the controls, wearing his welding mask and overalls, the appearance is striking to say the least. “The welding station is used when we’re fabricating our fittings onto the flexible metallics,” he says. “We’re trying to bring our welds as close as possible to automated orbital welding, in which the only human input would be to type in the size of the weld on a PC. This is a mixture of automation and human intervention.” What would equate to the platter on a record player, is actually a belt-driven flat ring, with three adjustable rods clamping the metallic hose in the centre. To take the analogy further, when fixed in place the hose looks rather like the spindle at the centre of a hi-fi turntable. “We cut the assembly to length, crimp the ferrules on either end and clamp the assembly into the turntable.” Michael says. “The turntable and thus the hose is operated by a foot pedal and it turns steadily in a clockwise direction,” he
says. “You have two armrests for stability. The left hand is for your filler wire and the right hand for the torch.” “You strike your arc and the hose turns while your hands remain still,” Michael says, “which eliminates shaking hands or anything like that, keeping the weld as close to a machine weld as possible. “With a ferrule attached at one end, turn the hose around, repeat the steps and the hose assembly is completed. “Once the hose is made, you’re back to testing to whatever the customer stipulates – nitrogen or water. Normally with metal metallics it would be a 10 bar pressure test.
“Once we know that the hose isn’t leaking, it’s time to clean and polish it up to make it presentable,” Michael says. “We go off to our belt sander to clean up the edge of the ferrules and then the polishing machines to finish things off. We can start off with 40 grit and go up to a 120 grit finish. That polishes it off smooth. We can even take it up to a mirror finish if a customer stipulates.”
This makes it possible to imprint the Pirtek logo and a part number on the assembly.
“When the customer takes the packaging off, it looks professional, it looks the part but most of all, it works,” says Michael. “You’ll be hoping the customer does notice. We all like shiny things.”
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